HVAC Technician: what the job is, what it pays, and how to get hired.
The work, the skills that matter, the tools in demand and the pay range, from U.S. government data, plus every TryHired page for the role.
10% of hvac technicians earn less than this amount.
- Annual
- $40,050
- Hourly
- n/a
- Source
- BLS May 2025
25% of hvac technicians earn less than this amount.
- Annual
- $48,360
- Hourly
- n/a
- Source
- BLS May 2025
Half of hvac technicians earn more than this and half earn less.
- Annual
- $61,010
- Hourly
- $29.33
- Source
- BLS May 2025
75% of hvac technicians earn less than this amount.
- Annual
- $77,060
- Hourly
- n/a
- Source
- BLS May 2025
90% of hvac technicians earn less than this amount.
- Annual
- $95,210
- Hourly
- n/a
- Source
- BLS May 2025
HVAC Technicians install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves. The median pay is $61,010 a year ($29.33 an hour) (BLS, May 2025).
- Median pay
- $61,010
- BLS May 2025
- Employed in the U.S.
- 409,670
- BLS May 2025
- Preparation
- Job Zone 3 of 5
- medium preparation
Data Government data groups this job as Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (O*NET-SOC 49-9021.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.
Every page for HVAC Technicians
Pay by percentile, state and metro, with a negotiation script.
Open →ResumeHVAC Technician resumeKeywords, bullet formulas and the skills to prove.
Open →Interview questionsHVAC Technician interview questionsQuestions with what they test, plus practice mode.
Open →Free toolCheck your resumeParsed text, evidence per bullet, fixes first.
Open →What hvac technicians do day to day
Data Core tasks rated most important by workers in the role (O*NET).
- Discuss heating or cooling system malfunctions with users to isolate problems or to verify that repairs corrected malfunctions.
- Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment.
- Repair or replace defective equipment, components, or wiring.
- Lay out and connect electrical wiring between controls and equipment, according to wiring diagrams, using electrician's hand tools.
- Schedule work with customers and initiate work orders, house requisitions, and orders from stock.
- Estimate, order, pick up, deliver, and install materials and supplies needed to maintain equipment in good working condition.
- Install, connect, or adjust thermostats, humidistats, or timers.
- Comply with all applicable standards, policies, or procedures, such as safety procedures or the maintenance of a clean work area.
Ranked by importance to the job
Data O*NET importance ratings. The first three are core.
Knowledge areas: Building and Construction, Customer and Personal Service, Mechanical, Administration and Management, Education and Training, Mathematics.
Software hvac technicians use
Data Examples reported for the role; employer demand flags from O*NET.
- Autodesk AutoCADComputer aided design CAD softwareHot technology
- Alerton Ascent CompassIndustrial control software
- Building automation softwareIndustrial control software
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMSFacilities management software
- Cworks CMMSFacilities management software
- Delta Controls inteliWEBIndustrial control software
- Facility energy management softwareFacilities management software
- Graphics softwareGraphics or photo imaging software
- HVAC tools softwareComputer aided design CAD software
- Honeywell WEBs-N4Industrial control software
- IBM Maximo Asset ManagementFacilities management software
- Johnson Controls MetasysFacilities management software
Also called: Hvac Tech, AC Mechanic (Air Conditioner Mechanic), AC Tech (Air Conditioning Technician), HVAC Control Tech (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Control Technician), HVAC Installer (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Installer), HVAC Mechanic (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Mechanic), HVAC Service Tech (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Service Technician).
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How this page is built
Tasks, skills, tools, education and related roles come from O*NET 31.0. Pay and employment come from the BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. The skill-match score is our calculation: Skill match is the correlation between the two occupations' skill profiles: for each of 35 O*NET skills (10 essential, 25 transferable) we multiply importance by level, subtract the average across all occupations, and correlate the two profiles. 100 means identical shape; 0 or below means unrelated. Only occupations that O*NET itself lists as related are compared.
- How a specific employer defines the job.
- Pay for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
- Your own chances: data describes the occupation, not you.
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).